22 Feb How To Let Go Of The Past

Everybody has experienced something negative, traumatic or hurtful in the past. To answer the question” How to get peace in life? “, which most of us want, is to simply let go of the past. Not letting go of the past robs you of energy, and makes you retrieve back into a shell. It also makes you anxious and fearful of whether it’s going to reoccur again. So here’s how to let go of the past! It’s easier than you think!

1: Believe That It Is Possible To Let Go

It doesn’t matter how traumatic the past was for you( whether it was your parent’s divorce, business failure, near death experiences, rape, torture and abuse, or a horrible break up), you have to understand that you can let it all go! You can work to let it go, but will you work to let it go? You should! And if you’re wondering ” how can I let it go? Am I just going to get hurt again?”,it’s because you believe that somehow your life will worsen and that you’re open to threats. - Not True! Negativity is going to fester if you don’t let go!

2: The Past And The Future Are Not Real 

Letting go of the past is easy, this is how.

The past is a concept, it’s not real, it was real at some point - but not anymore. The future is also a concept, it’s not real either. The present is real, this second is real, everything NOW is real. Attributing reality to something that isn’t real - is all in your head, it’s a conceptualization! The problems you anticipate tomorrow are all conceptualizations because - believing that what you fear is going to happen tomorrow is just a concept NOT reality.So the future is a concept, and the past especially, is a concept.The things you feel that are very very real are actually not, because you can never know what’s happening tomorrow. So, why stress out over some past trauma that might reoccur tomorrow..when it is nothing less than a concept?

3. Read This When You Are Alone

Go to some place that is isolated, without distractions and comfortable.  Breathe in and out.  Think something negative and causing you some pain. Feel the pain of the past. Then I want you to sit upright, relax, and follow what I ask you to do:

Feel your breath

Feel the breath going in 

Feel the breath going out 

Breathe in and out again, deeply this time. 

Keep breathing and relaxing nice and slow

Now feel all your sensations on the body- Pay attention to your feet, your legs, your thigh, your butt.

And then your back, shoulder,arms, relax the muscles on your face, feel the top of your head, the tip of your fingers and toes.

Now, Pretend that you have no future- the future doesn’t exist! 

Now, I want you to imagine that the past never happened. 

Just be fully in the present. 

Whatever sensations you’re feeling right now is real. 

Take this in. 

Just be in the moment. 

Feel it in your body and breathe. 

4. Experience “The Now”

Stop thinking about the future and the past. The exercise above  is not going to fix you. But the goal is to stop repetition. You got rid of the past and the future during this meditation exercise,even if it was only for a few seconds.

The past only exists because you keep bring it back up! So how do you let go? Just let it go! Just cut off all old thoughts and impulses. Think instead of who you will become later.Set goals for yourself.Who are you going to become in the future? Spend time planning about the here and now, rather than worrying about the useless past!

Nehita Abraham

Nehita is a mindfulness expert who writes extensively on lifestyle management, wellness and ways to lead a healthier and a happier life. She is a part of Aware’s expert team on meditation. She is also an avid artist who spends most her time dribbling amazing stories through art.